R605--EBSCO Consolidated CINAHL Medline PBSC

Other / Unclassified

This document is a "DETERMINATION FOR CONSOLIDATION BUNDLING EBSCO - HCA - SPE". It outlines the justification and decision-making process for consolidating and bundling services related to EBSCO, specifically for the Health Care Administration (HCA) and Service Program Executive (SPE).

This document is relevant to potential bidders as it explains the government's strategy for acquiring EBSCO services. It indicates that the requirement is being consolidated and bundled, which may affect the size and scope of the contract opportunity. Bidders should review this determination to understand the rationale behind the acquisition strategy, which could influence competition and the types of businesses that can effectively bid on the resulting solicitation.

Other / Unclassified

This document is a "Determination for Consolidation, Bundling, and Substantial Bundling" for electronic access to three EBSCO Information Services proprietary databases: CINAHL Ultimate, Medline Complete, and the Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection (PBSC). It details the justification for consolidating these subscriptions into a single, enterprise-wide, firm-fixed-price contract awarded to EBSCO as a sole source vendor.

• Procurement Strategy: The document outlines the government's decision to bundle these proprietary database subscriptions into a single national contract, rather than awarding separate contracts or maintaining decentralized purchasing. This indicates the opportunity will likely be awarded as a sole-source contract to EBSCO.
• Contract Details: The contract is Firm Fixed Price, with a base year and four option years. The period of performance is from 06/1/2026 to 05/31/2031. The estimated value is redacted but is substantial, with a total cost of approximately $1.9 million for the bundled contract compared to an estimated $1 million for Medline Complete alone if awarded separately.
• Benefits of Consolidation: The document highlights benefits such as ensuring equitable and consistent access to evidence-based resources across all VA facilities, tripling coverage for Medline Complete, freeing up facility-level funds, and improving acquisition efficiency and oversight.
• Small Business Impact: The document explicitly states that due to the proprietary nature of the EBSCO products, there are no meaningful subcontracting opportunities for small businesses. Efforts to identify small business participation through RFI and Sources Sought did not yield viable prime contracting or teaming opportunities. The document justifies this by noting that small business resellers cannot meet performance requirements and would only add cost.
• Alternative Approaches Considered: The document details and rejects alternative approaches, including maintaining decentralized purchasing, awarding separate contracts for each product, and partial set-asides for small business intermediaries, citing inefficiencies, lack of competition, and increased costs.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is a "Brand Name or Equal" notice of intent to solicit and negotiate with EBSCO Industries Inc. for an annual subscription to three web-based commercial off-the-shelf resources: Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Ultimate, Medline Complete, and Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection (PBSC). These resources will be made available throughout the VA healthcare system.

• Annual subscription to CINAHL Ultimate (database with nursing and allied health bibliographic information and full-text journals).

• Annual subscription to Medline Complete (bibliographic information and full-text journal resource focused on medicine).

• Annual subscription to Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection (PBSC) (journal package focused on psychology and behavioral sciences).

• Products shall include sources such as electronic textbooks and online full-text journals.

• Procurement is conducted under FAR 6.103-1 "soliciting from a sole source."

• This is not a request for competitive quotes.

• No solicitation document is available.

• Any responsible source believing they can meet the requirements may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation.

• Responses must be received by Wednesday, May 6, 2025, 10:00 a.m. EST.

• Submissions should be sent to Contract Specialist Andrew Allen at Andrew.Allen6@va.gov.

• The government reserves the discretion not to compete the proposed procurement based on responses received.

• NAICS Code: 519290

• Small Business Administration Size Standard: 1,000 Employees

• Contracting Office: Department of Veterans Affairs, Program Contracting Activity Central (PCAC), Independence, OH.

• Point of Contact: Andrew Allen, Contract Specialist, Andrew.Allen6@va.gov, 216-447-8321.